Branded Messages: Consistent and Focused

As the lead local public health voice during the H1N1 pandemic response, the Kane County Health Department (KCHD) developed a specific branded message, “Stop the Flu; it Starts with You!” As agencies across the country struggled to be consistent in their communication to stakeholders and the community amidst frequently changing information and guidance on H1N1, KCHD recognized the importance of standardizing a message for use in Kane County. To this end, the health department engaged a communications consultant to help brand a central message that all H1N1 communication would be centered around. When the “Stop the Flu; It Starts with You!” brand was rolled out, the health department worked with agencies across the county to share the branded material and request that the logo and slogan be used in all H1N1 communication. This coordinated messaging was critical as the first shipments of H1N1 vaccine arrived in Kane County. To help evaluate the effectiveness of our branded message, KCHD contracted with a company to survey Kane County residents about the H1N1 pandemic. During September 15-16, 2009 the company conducted a telephone survey with 400 residents. The following sample of responses helped KCHD and its partners further refine communication and response efforts. A total of 71% of the respondents answered they had ‘somewhat closely' or ‘very closely' followed news reports regarding the H1N1 virus. Fully 87% of respondents were ‘Very Satisfied' or ‘Somewhat Satisfied' with the quality of information they had seen, read or heard from KCHD. Questions were also asked about information respondents would like for KCHD to provide, what was the best mechanism for communicating that information, likelihood of being vaccinated as well as what hesitations respondents had in getting an H1N1 vaccination.